Flexible coupling



March 9' 1926;

E. G. KIMMICH FLEXIBLE COUPLING Original Filed pt. 5, 1922 [\IVENTOR Eimer G. ldmmich,

1,575,921 PATENT. OFFICE.

ELMER G. KIMMIGH, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE 6a RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

. FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

Original application filed September 5, 1922, Serial No. 586,280. Divided and this application filed September 27, 1924. Serial No. 740,267.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER G. KIMMIGH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Akron, Ohio, have invented new and 6 useful Improvements in Flexible Couplings,

' of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dlscs for :usein flexible couplings and it is particularly directed to an improved form of disc that is adapted to be interposed between the driving and the driven members of a flexible coupling.

The resent application is a division of my co-pen ing application Serial No. 586,280, filed September 5, 1922-, for flexible couplin gs.

he general nature of the invention, of

which the present is a division, is fully set forth in the above ecified prior applica- 2 tion, and therefore t e present application will be specifically directed to a particular form of the disc shown in the prior application.

Fig. 1

2 view shown partially in section and partially in plan, parts being broken away, of a disc constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional edge view of the disc so taken substantially on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1-.

The various layers of material entering into the disc assembly shown in Fig. 1 are successively broken away and folded back to show the disc construction. The disc herein illustrated comprises a plurality of complete fabric discs 1 that are alternated with layers 2 of rubber composition. The rubber composition of the discs 2 is cut m away ateach of the driving hole-s3 that V are formed in the disc and the rubber composition at each of such points is replaced by a washer 4-, preferably of fabric, that is materially less com ressible than the rubber com osition of t e disc.

The isc, assembled as described, is vulcanized under heat and pressure in accordance with customary practice.

This particular assembly or fabric and rubber reduces a drivin disc in which the zone or the disc in the immediatevicinity of the driving holes is relatively incompre sible. This provides an especially serviceable material at the point where the disc is of the accompanying drawing is a comprising supe adapted to be clamped between driving members of universal couplings, not shown, with which it is adapted to be used in the ordinary manner. The portion of the disc intermediate the driving holes is rendered very flexible by reason of the. thickness of rubber between adjacent fabric plies This interposed rubber-cushion body of the disc prevents separation of the plies in service and also increases the life of the discs by reducing the flexing strains on the fabric.

Facing sheets of fabric, or other wearresisting material, are applied to each face of the discin order to improve its appearance and to prevent deterioration of the disc from outside elements.

Theadvantages to be gained by adopting the'construction herein set forth are treated,

at length, in my aforementioned prior ap-' plication as inherent in the general structure therein shown.

Although a single embodiment of my invention has been shown and specifically described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various minor modifications and changes ma be made within the spirit and scope of t e invention and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1., A composite disc for flexible couplings comprising a plurality of superposed alternated layers of rubber and fabric in a flexing zone of the disc and fabric washers interposed between adjacent layers of fabric in the zoneof the driving holes of the disc.

2. A composite disc for driving couplings fibrous material in the flexing zones of the disc and superposed layers of closely assembled fabric in each zone of the disc intermediate the flexing zones, the alternate layers of the disc comprisingima unitary ric sheet of substantially t e full size of the disc.

3. A composite disk tor flexible couplings having flexing zones and driving zones, comprising a plurality of alternately disposed layers of fabric and rubber in the flexing zones and fabric spacer washers interposed between driving zones.

the layers of fabric in the osed layers of rubber and fab- 5% mmesai 4. A unitary disc for flexible couplings tween adjacent layers of fabric in the zone comprising a plurality of layers of integral of connection of the disc, each of said 30 fibrous material, of substantially the same spacer members being positioned in the size as the disc, and lying in the plane thereplane of one of said layers of rubber com- 5 of, a plurality of layers of rubber composiposition.

tion interposed between the layers of fi- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto brous material, and a plurality of spacer signed my name. members of fibrous material interposed be- ELMER G. KIMMICI-l. 

